


Hymn for the Hymnless

by soldierwitch



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 04:35:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12697485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldierwitch/pseuds/soldierwitch
Summary: Jughead gets by with a little help from his friends. After 2x05, post-Bughead break up.





	Hymn for the Hymnless

**Author's Note:**

> I admit this is self-indulgent but honestly, I don't care. Think of this as me working out their voices and fostering Jughead's Southside support system. The title is from [Hymn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BttTkcU4a1c) by Kesha which is basically the Serpents anthem.

Post-Betty’s Archie assisted break-up with him, Jughead finds himself going through the motions. Time moves slow and fast. His days drag but he feels like he blinks and he's off to the next class, the bell ringing sharply, the tide of uninterested students pushing him down the hallway. 

The Serpents try to pull him into conversations at lunch but all Jughead has is a weak smile and a sarcastic comment to appease them. He appreciates Sweet Pea’s attempt to goad him into an argument to blow off some steam, and Fang’s futile tries at catching popcorn chicken with his mouth but part of him wishes he could just fade into the background like he did at Riverdale High. There were perks to being invisible.

At the end of the day, Toni drags Jughead to the abandoned football field with its overgrown grass and rusty bleachers. She's been doing it for the past two days, encouraging him to lay down with her as she plays music on her phone.

They stare up at the sky in silence, but he knows that sometimes she sneaks glances at him, her eyes sad. He hates it. 

Toni’s got such an expressive face. He'd draw her if he had any talent. But her expressiveness means he sees most of what passes through her mind and that means knowing she's worried about him. 

“I didn't kick your puppy,” Jughead says. “Quit looking at me like that.” His tone is rough, it sounds a lot like how his father used to grumble at his mother. _Stepping into the old man’s shoes in more ways than one_ , he thinks. _Great_.

“No, you just got your heart broken,” Toni says, unbothered, as she turns on her side. “You ready to talk about it?”

“There's nothing to talk about.”

Toni’s snort rankles Jughead enough to sit up, beanie forgotten in the grass.

“Why do you care,” he asks. “It's not like you thought much about Betty.”

“You're right,” Toni says, still on her side. “But you did, and I care about you.”

Jughead opens his mouth and closes it again. Rarely is he lost for words but Toni just has a way of saying how she feels that leaves him speechless. He settles on, “You barely know me.”

“Also correct, Jug. You're batting two for two here, but are you gonna tell me something I don't know yet?”

He sighs and reaches behind his back to grab his beanie but doesn't put it on, fiddles with it instead. “Love’s stupid.”

“Eloquent,” Toni says, sitting up. “But I know that, too. Been there, done that, fucked it up.”

“Yeah,” Jughead asks, glancing over at her. The wind’s blowing Toni’s hair in her face a bit but there's still a small smile on her lips.

“Royally,” she says, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Serpents always come first. My ex didn't get it. She thought I was blowing her off, but Sweet Pea was going through a rough time with his folks. I should have tried to explain it better, but she gave me an ultimatum. Them or her. I chose my family.”

“What was wrong with Sweet Pea?”

“They were gonna lose the shop. I was working shifts without pay to offset some of their costs and boosting parts from the Northside to sell.”

“Shit.”

Toni hums in agreement. “So, yeah, I get it. Love’s a bitch. You gonna let it keep you down though?”

“It's complicated,” Jughead says. “Betty’s just…”

“She's a northsider,” Toni says, holding her hand up to ward off the storm brewing on Jughead’s face. “Quit it. I'm stating facts. That's what she is. Her way of life has its own script just like ours does. She tried to rewrite hers without considering your worldview may be different from her own.”

“Maybe I did, too,” Jughead says voice sad, gaze focused on his hands turning his beanie round and round.

Toni reaches over and plucks the hat from his hands and settles it back on his head. “Maybe,” she says after fixing the beanie to her liking. “Maybe not, but don't let an ending keep you from embracing a new beginning.”

Jughead watches as Toni grabs her stuff and dusts herself off, standing up. She holds her hand out to him.

“Ready to go?”

For a moment, he stares at her hand before looking up at her, taking in the softness in her eyes, the encouraging tilt to her lips. No expectancy. The decision his.

Over Toni’s shoulder, Sweet Pea appears from behind the bleachers. He cups his hands around his mouth shouting, “Yo, Princess, move your ass. We’re late.”

Toni raises her other hand to flip him off.

Jughead looks at Sweet Pea and then back at Toni before smirking and grabbing her hand. “Over the mountain and through the woods,” he says.

Her laugh rings loud and bright. “To grandmother’s house we go,” she yells.

It's not ‘til they reach Sweet Pea’s car that Jughead notices Toni’s hand is still in his. He tenses, but she merely squeezes his hand before letting go, her focus still on ribbing Sweet Pea for rushing her when she'd been waiting for him.

“JP, you comin’ to the Ridge tonight,” Sweet Pea asks with a sniff. “Or you gonna be too busy crying over that prissy blonde?”

Before Jughead can respond, Toni grabs Sweet Pea by the ear and yanks.

“What did we talk about, Sweets,” she asks, eyebrow raised.

“Damn it, Toni,” he winces, bent to the side as she holds onto his ear. “Let go.”

“What did I say?”

“Be nice and keep talk about the blonde out my mouth.”

“So, you see why we have a problem, right?”

Sweet Pea shoves Toni gently, causing her to back up into Jughead who catches her by the waist.

“You done,” Jughead asks him, fingers lingering on Toni’s side absentmindedly.

“Yeah, man,” Sweet Pea says, rubbing his sore ear. "Sorry."

Jughead nods. “I'll be at the Ridge later just gotta stop by the trailer first.”

Sweet Pea gives him a two finger salute and glares at Toni before rounding the car to the driver’s side, muttering, “I should make her walk. It’d serve her right.”

Toni rolls her eyes and turns to Jughead. “Alright, Jones. Looks like sharing circle is over today. Same time tomorrow?”

“I don't know, Toni,” he says. It's not like lying in the grass is on his list of enjoyable things to do but it is the only time he feels some semblance of peace.

“Don't think so hard about it, Jug. Yes or no? Yes, and I'll bring the juice boxes if you bring the ‘Nilla wafers. No, and I'll check you at lunch and the Red & Black. Simple, okay?”

“Yeah,” Jughead says bringing a hand to the back of his neck and looking down.

Sighing, Toni steps forward and lifts his chin with two of her fingers. “What did I tell you after you became a Serpent?”

Jughead gets a flash of her lips against his, hears her small exclamation of ‘shit’, and remembers. “Shit’s neutral,” he says.

“Right,” Toni says. “This is neutral shit. It's not high octane. You can't take what I'm not giving. I'm a big girl. You're not gonna hurt my feelings if you tell me no.”

“I'm not telling you no,” he admits. “But I shouldn't be telling you yes either.”

“Then don't. Tell me you’ll see me at the Ridge, and we’ll leave it at that.”

“See you at the Ridge, Toni.”

Toni’s answering smile is crooked as she walks backward to Sweet Pea’s car. “I better, Forsythe, you already told Sweets you're coming. Wouldn't want to disappoint him. He's got a fragile heart that one.”

“Paz,” Sweet Pea grouches. “Stop talking shit about me and get in the car.”

“Keep your panties on, Sweet Pea, I’m coming,” she says and gives Jughead a wave before getting in.

Jughead watches as they speed out of the parking lot disrupting litter and debris in their wake. Shaking his head with a chuckle, he makes his way over to his bike to head home.

When he gets to the Ridge it’s already alive with the loud, boisterous sound of Serpents singing along to some grungy, misfit tune. One howls into the night to the embarrassment of his boyfriend. A pair of girls giggle into each others shoulders as they listen to a tale being woven by an older Serpent. Kids run past the bonfire chasing each other, making Jughead’s heart ache for Jelly Bean, her gap-toothed smile, and polka dot everything.

Sweet Pea and Fang see him first, raising their root beer bottles toward him in acknowledgement. Tall Boy claps him on the shoulder as he passes by saying, “Good to see you, kid,” before scooping up a small boy who shrieks with laughter as he carries him over to his mother.

Jughead sees Toni before she sees him. She's lit by the light of the bonfire, kohl around her eyes, hood up as she talks animatedly, hands gesturing wildly. The girl she's speaking to catches him looking and alerts Toni to his presence.

Toni turns and her whole face lights up. She's as bright as the fire as she signals to the girl she'll be back later and walks over to him.

“So, you deigned to bless us with your presence after all.”

Jughead shrugs. “Figured you earned it.”

Toni laughs. “So, this is a barter system now?”

“Well, you did offer me juice boxes for sharing circle. I weighed my options, considered them carefully, and figured I'd get at least a burger for not breaking Sweet Pea’s heart.”

“Let me get this straight,” she says smirking, arms folded, hips slightly cocked. “I ply you with food and you stick around for more than five minutes?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“You’re a strange one, Jones,” Toni says and grabs his wrist, dragging him behind her. “But you're in luck because there's plenty of burgers left.”

Jughead spends the rest of the night laughing at Fang and Sweet Pea’s antics with Toni by his side. When they head back to his place, the sun is just beginning to rise.

“Good night,” Toni asks, sitting on the bottom step, warm coffee mug in hand.

“Best,” Fang says slightly slurred from sleep and his cheek pressed against Sweet Pea’s shoulder.

Sweet Pea grunts his agreement.

“Decent,” Jughead says just to tease her, but Toni doesn't play along.

“But better than lately,” she asks sincerely.

Jughead tugs on the bow of her headband. “Yeah, Toni, better than lately.”

“Good,” she says with a firm nod and sips from her mug.

Jughead looks at the two bikes and car in his yard and makes a decision.

“Hey, Toni?”

“Hmm?”

“I like apple juice.”

“Noted.”

“You two are weird,” Sweet Pea says.

“Weird is,” Jughead begins.

“As weird does,” Toni finishes.

They low-five and smile at one another, fingers tangling briefly then letting go.

Jughead turns back to the sunrise, smile still in place, hand warm, heart warmer, looking forward to the day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback is appreciated. If you'd like to drop me a line, my tumblr is [asoldierwitch](https://asoldierwitch.tumblr.com/).


End file.
